Govind Tekale
A five-year-old girl died and four members of her family were hospitalised after they fell ill from a meal ordered from a restaurant in the city of Surat, police and relatives said.
The family of Ashok Kalsaria, residents of the Varachha area, ordered Punjabi dishes including a cashew paneer curry from Sheetal Restaurant on the night of August 15, according to relatives. Within hours, five family members developed severe health complications.
The first symptoms appeared around 4 am on August 16, the family said. The child’s father and one of his daughters complained of severe stomach pain and were taken to a local clinic, where they were given medicine, but their condition did not improve. By the afternoon, other family members also fell ill and were rushed to hospital.
The five-year-old died within about 15 to 20 minutes of reaching the emergency department on the night of August 17, relatives said. Her father, mother and two other daughters remain under treatment. Medical reports for the four patients pointed to food poisoning, the family added.
The girl’s body has been sent for a post-mortem to establish the cause of death. The findings will show whether suspected food poisoning caused it. The family has asked for an impartial investigation and urged police and senior officials to examine the food supplied by the restaurant.
The restaurant has been shut while food safety regulators in Gujarat examine the incident. Regulators in the state have faced repeated calls to tighten checks on kitchens after similar outbreaks.
The case adds to a string of foodborne illness scares reported across India this year. Health officials have warned that unsafe storage and handling at eateries can turn a routine order into a medical emergency.
Police in Surat said an inquiry is underway. No arrests have been reported so far.
